Denial of the Soba Noodles
by CassieRaven
Summary: Easy to cook conveniently, nutritious and loved, Soba Noodles are deliciously scrumptious...Unless, according to Mamoru, it really depends on who's cooking the Soba. Uh oh!
1. Prologue

Title: Denial of the Soba Noodles

Author: CassieRaven

Rated: T

Genre: Romance, Humor

Warnings: Alternate Universe (AU), Mamoru being a Baka, Denial is Mamoru's River! Apron Cuteness!

Summary: Easy to cook conveniently, nutritious and loved, Soba Noodles are deliciously scrumptious...Unless, according to Mamoru, it really depends on who's cooking the Soba. Uh oh!

Disclaimer: I am not in any way affiliated with Sailor Moon; Sailor Moon the Manga (Comic/Graphic Novel series) was created and owned legally by it's creator Naoko Takeuchi, while other companies have or had prior licensing rights to the original Anime and various reboot Anime Series Sailor Moon, such as companies being Toei Animation, Madmen Entertainment, VIZ Media, DIC Media, Cloverfield Media, etc. The characters contained herein are not mine. The only thing I own rights to or creation are if any of my original characters are in this fan fictional story. No money is being made from this fan fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only. I own nothing! Thus no need for lawsuit!

Author's Note: Hello again all of my fellow Sailor Moon Moonies (and any readers/reviewer fans out there!) I've returned with a new story. This time, it has been inspired by a favorite noodle dish that I consider my go to Japanese instant meal to slurp on when I can't get myself some ramen noodles or a cup of noodle, to go with a veggie or chicken dish...SOBA NOODLES! Sometimes, it came be amazing what can inspire us writers, especially when inspiration strikes at random when one day, you get hungry and start craving some soba noodles, and then this happens.

This is another story taking place in an AU (Alternate Universe) setting. You know the usual, No Sailor Senshi, no Tuxedo Kamen, blah, blah, blah, etc. This story is going to be a few chapters, probably a three to four parter via chapters. Well see won't we? I hope everyone will enjoy reading this, please enjoy.

* * *

 **Prologue: Compliments to the Chef...NEVER!**

* * *

"Mmmm, that smell delicious. Is that garlic I smell sizzling on that grill Makoto?" Motoki asked, sitting on his couch in the living room, as his nose continued to pick up the scent of garlic with various other spices and the strong smell of onions coming from inside the small kitchen area of his apartment.

"It could be, but maybe you should ask the 'chef' who's actually at the stove on the grill griddle and not me. I've taught her well, especially when it comes to saute-grilling the garlic and onions with seasoning slowly first into the pan or grill with either a little bit of butter, margarine, or oil of one's choice." Makoto's voice called from where she was in the opened kitchen, as she was standing next to one of her best friends, the shorter 'chef', watching as she carefully moved the sesame oiled garlic cloves with small and big pieces of fairly minced onions and seasoning spices around the black ironed plug in griddle tray with her silicone spatula.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that giving her lessons over the last two years in baking and basic cooking has paid off for you both; Usagi's achieved some culinary skills of her own now, and you were the one to pass off your knowledge and skills to her Makoto. I can't wait to taste test whatever it is you both are cooking up in there." Motoki praised to the girls who both echoed back a 'arigatou' in response, while sitting next to him, his other guest snorted a response of annoyance.

"What? There's nothing wrong with giving them, especially Usagi a little bit of positive praise and appreciation Mamoru. Especially when Makoto had come into the arcade last week asking me if I wouldn't mind being a willing taste tester to try a new dish that Usagi wanted to test out for her recipe exam for their cooking class in their home economics class at Juuban High." Motoki chided, as his best friend still snorted-held back a laugh behind a cough, and his dark eyes of blue rolled in annoyance.

"Are we sure we want to really eat anything that the Odango has cooked? Are you sure you want to risk not only your health and stomach but mine as well? Remember what happened three years ago?" Mamoru hammered the questions as his voice held skepticism and fear dreading their fate of being 'taste testers' for the dumpling haired blonde in Motoki's kitchen.

"See, this is why you'll never get a girl friend long term or much less ever get married if you keep being this much of a grumpy old man with your negativity my friend," Motoki tsk'd him as Mamoru focused his attention back to whatever was on the television, before the blonde continued to speak.

"It happened one time. It wasn't Usagi's fault, she hadn't known that the store bought per-mix do it yourself already prepared food in the containers were expired out of date. She didn't notice it because Minako didn't see the expired marks on them either when they went to get it for the girls and our picnic gathering Reika wanted to have for her return party from Africa. Besides, if memory serves me right as I recall, it wasn't me who got accidental food poisoning from those potato and coleslaw salads Usagi prepared...you were the only one who ate them on your plate while the rest of us were plate piled up from Makoto's homemade BBQ rib-lets and corn on the cobs," Motoki continued on with a smirk on his face as his best friend started to tense up and shudder as his memories of that awful day getting food poisoning began to come back in hot flashes.

The "cold poison salads" incident as he had called it had happened three years ago. Mamoru had been in his first year as a college freshman at university at the time attending Keio University, and interning at Juuban hospital doing medical interning as a first year intern student. Motoki had been attending Keio as well, majoring in business and business ethics. Motoki had been the one with Reika to plan the picnic celebration party for everyone to see Reika after she had returned from her time doing study abroad with her professor working in studying plant life and insects with her work as an archaeology student. He remembered how everyone had been there from both Motorist and Reika's families, the girls Ami, Makoto, Minako, Rei along with Rei having brought her temple caretaker and wanna be rockstar boyfriend Yuuichirou, and then...the Odango one of who made his life more annoyingly complicated. Mamoru remembered sampling the potato and then the coleslaw salads first before planning on trying the other things that Makoto had placed on the park picnic tables for everyone to help themselves to. (He had assumed that the brunette wearing pony tailed haired girl had made everything served.)

It had taken about twenty minutes after he had eaten the salads before the food poisoning had taken effect to him. It had hit him dead on just as he was about to sample the fried chicken that Rei had brought with them saying that her grandfather the old man Hino had made, when he suddenly felt his stomach cramping and feeling like his insides were burning. The next thing Mamoru had known, Ami had been calling for an emergency ambulance, Motoki and Makoto were trying to help lay him down to figure out what was wrong, while Rei was rushing with Yuuichirou to his car to look for a first aid kit, and Minako and Usagi were looking worried with Reika standing next to them. He remembered having been driven to the hospital, Ami being in the car with him, Rei, Minako and Usagi while Yuuichirou was driving them; Ami had told the dispatcher on the phone she felt it was signs of accidental food poisoning, based on Mamoru's physical tell-tale signs, and what he had eaten. Though Usagi had the entire car ride to the nearest hospital had apologized while in tears, Mamoru still felt though she tried saying she was sorry and it was an accident, that she was to blame for the hours later he had to endure of getting his stomach pumped in the emergency room.

After that day, three things had happened: One, Mamoru swore to himself never to eat potato salad or coleslaw salad ever again if it was the last thing he would ever do. Two, he would never eat picnic or potluck arranged food if he didn't know who had made it, bought it, or prepared it. Three, he would never, ever, ever, EVER trust to eat or drink anything that one Usagi Tsukino either purchased or cooked or baked on her own period.

He had thought once the Odango also known as Usagi had entered high school with her friends that maybe Rei's maturity and some of Ami's studying approaches to the girls weekly study session visits to Crown would have rubbed off on her...sadly he was mistaken.

Usagi, in his opinion hadn't changed much with her loud hyena laughing and shouting, eating like a professional freak eater; though her grades did "slightly" approve of moving from low scores to obtaining at least a C average. Though he had gotten along well with her best friends, he still had the same relationship with Usagi; their usual routines of sparring fights and name-calling hadn't changed much. Even after three years had gone by, she was still the same, the typical Odango that in his opinion was hopeless of ever doing something to pass and graduate high school seeing how, according to her best friends, Usagi unlike them wasn't sure what she wanted to actually do with her life after graduation. He knew that Ami had planned on going into the medical field to become a surgeon and wanted to do surgery for children in the children's hospital. Rei had planned on not attending college, she had her heart set on settling down with Yuuichirou to continue running the Hino Temples and be a Priestess. Minako...though it sounded ridiculous to him, was seeking to get involved into majoring in the performing theater arts to continue pursuing acting and modeling; while Makoto planned to attend culinary school in Tokyo as well as look into majoring in business to have her own bakery shop.

Though, Rei once had said she assumed that Usagi probably would be great working with kids like working in a field with children, attending college to maybe do child development or sociology behavior sciences...Mamoru personally couldn't see Usagi of all people working with children. Much less doing anything like becoming a teacher or working at a daycare school with children, the idea horrified him. 'Who would trust her with a child?!' he had questioned it in disbelief. Even if she had figured what she wanted to do and even became successful with her life after graduating, she'd likely end up like her Mother, Mrs. Tsukino, being a housewife if she ever managed to get herself married, much less find a husband.

Mamoru hadn't been surprised she survived making it to her senior year of high school. He was more so surprised that there had been one field in a course class she had really been supposedly interested in taking offered at her high school..which was Makoto's field...Home Economics Cooking! Usagi, it had seemed, had taken, according to the girls, not that bad to the beginning cooking classes some time in their sophomore year, and had managed to survive passing classes into the cooking class level alongside Makoto. So with having heard the tales from the girls and even Motoki that Usagi had honestly gotten better in cooking, took her cooking classes in the home economics department seriously, and was actualling not that bad of a cook,if not perfect compared to Makoto's level of chef expertise...Mamoru Chiba couldn't help but be both skeptical and fearful...especially when Motoki his so-called "best friend" had invited him over earlier that afternoon, asking him to help him taste-test Usagi's new dish.

"I was there for hours, hours Toki...getting my stomach pumped, feeling miserable! Now, you want to send me back to the emergency rooms to go through that again? I'm not eating anything of whatever the heck she's making in your kitchen unless you and Makoto eat it first." Mamoru hissed, while Motoki was shooting daggers at him as if mentally telling him to shut up.

"Usagi has gotten better, trust me. Even Rei can vouch for her. Rei and Yuuichirou told Reika and I the other weekend when they had Usagi and the girls come to the Temple to celebrate Grandpa Hino's birthday that she had helped Makoto make his birthday cake, and as well, Usagi herself had made him his own personal cinnamon-brown sugar apple pie tart and that it had looked perfect. He had tried the first slice and had wolfed it down after the first bite. Rei said everyone tried it and no one got food poisoning, it had been delicious. We both know Rei's quite brutally honest, more so than you are, and for her to say that Usagi's truly gotten better at cooking and baking, you would think it's a miracle."

"Fine, fine. I'll eat whatever she's making then...at least Makoto is back there supervising and monitoring right next to her to make sure she doesn't screw this up...what? Stop looking at me like that, I really do want to live to graduate to become a doctor who isn't dead thanks to a teenage girl's horrible cooking!" Mamoru tried defending himself as Motoki continued to give him the look of death and disbelief just as the blond motioned him to shut up again, as Usagi came out of the kitchen.

"Toki-kun, Makoto's keeping an eye on the grill while she puts the Soba noodles into the pot to boil next to it. I wanted to ask if you'd mind if I borrowed a couple of things from your pantry cabinets or fridge. I forgot to buy fresh ginger, green onions, and extra eggs for the dish and rice. Do you mind," Usagi asked politely, her long pigtails and dumpling shaped buns pinned up in pins and a bandanna of pink fabric with bunnies patterns covering her hair, a floured stained used pastel green apron that had an ironed on image of a character looking baker's hat bunny chibi style, covering her pink t-shirt and jean blue shorts.

"No trouble at all Usagi, help yourself. I think there's some leftover ginger paste with a few long green onions and eggs in the fridge. There's some soy sauce and omelet spices in the pantry if you think they'll help. Whatever you're whipping up in there smells delicious, right Mamoru?" Motoki smiled friendly to the girl, while quietly motioning to his friend to say something kind to her as well of motivation.

"...Let's hope you don't set off Motoki's smoke alarm or his building's fire alarms with whatever monster you're creating in there Odango," Mamoru retorted with a smirk as Usagi's eyes widened and then glared at him murderously, clenching her fists.

"You're one to talk Mr. Orders Out Crappy Greased Up Take Out Delivery and lives practically everyday for plain black coffee at Toki's parents cafe. He's told me how you only survive on tofu, pancakes, and omelets seeing how that's all you cook in your apartment and what it smells of besides Chinese take out carts and McDonald's greased fast food takeaway bags and wrappers." Usagi hissed as she eyed her arch enemy with disdain as she moved in the open kitchen to where the pantry cabinets were, and began grabbing little spice jars, before turning back to where the men were in the open living room next to her.

"Unlike you creep, I don't need to survive on fast food joints or take outs all the time anymore. I've actually improved in cooking, thanks to lessons over time from my Mama and Makoto-Chan. I can make anything that has a good or potential recipe. In fact, my teacher Mrs. Ryo said I'm most improved in her class since Freshman year Home Economics! You're going to eat your words once you've eaten my Sesame-Garlic Soba Noodles with Fried Eggs and Garlic, along with Curried Chicken Rice Makoto's made baka! Hope you've brought your appetite Chiba-Baka!" Usagi smirked as she turned on her pink bunny slipper-ed heels and marched back into the kitchen with an energy of full confidence.

"...You better have some after stomach and heart pain medicine or heartburn pills in your medicine cabinet ready after dinner Motoki...", Mamoru mumbled as he continued to glared in disdain at where the angry chef bunny had just been standing at.

If he was going to be forced by his best friend to eat the cocky little Odango bunny's unknown cooked plate of lunchtime disaster of a meal, then he hoped that there was enough tums tablets and pepto-bismol liquid medication to help him and his stomach survive the chaos.

* * *

There you have it, the Prologue/Introduction to a new short part-chapter story of AU setting.

I hope everyone enjoyed reading this, I hope no one minded that this Prologue was a little short. Just look at it as a little sampling taste of what is to come in the upcoming chapters/parts to this story in the next part. I will be updating this story ASAP in the upcoming weeks. So if you've enjoyed reading this, please don't hesitate to leave a review.

Until we meet again in this story's next chapter or in another story I post up, later.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I am not in any way affiliated with Sailor Moon; Sailor Moon the Manga (Comic/Graphic Novel series) was created and owned legally by it's creator Naoko Takeuchi, while other companies have or had prior licensing rights to the original Anime and various reboot Anime Series Sailor Moon, such as companies being Toei Animation, Madmen Entertainment, VIZ Media, DIC Media, Cloverfield Media, etc. The characters contained herein are not mine. The only thing I own rights to or creation are if any of my original characters are in this fan fictional story. No money is being made from this fan fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only. I own nothing! Thus no need for lawsuit!

Author's Note: Hello again everyone! Here's the first chapter to this story some of you have been so patiently waiting for. Thank you for being so patient! Sorry it took a while to get back into the writing mindset between the joys of obligations to real life. (I already have finished the first four weeks into studio art classes for my college spring semester. So my mind's been everywhere preparing for the semester and getting back into doing sketchbook sketching bone and muscular body anatomy sketch study practice. And a writer's block didn't help either.) Again, so sorry for the delays.

But thanks to finding some time to work on this chapter, as well as great beta-reader/fellow moonie moral support and inspiration from my fellow writer friends Queen Risa and MoonBunny, I was able to get this chapter finished being written. (Thanks ladies, your cheerleading and writing advice suggestions was major help when I was going through the writer's block funk.)

I'd like to thank my newest reviewers. A big appreciated shout out to my three reviewers/readers especially who reviewed. Thank you so very much ladies Queen Risa, Moon Bunny and Moonlight Usagi-Chan! Now, on to the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter One: Girls Chatting, Blackmail, and Honesty isn't the best Policy.**

* * *

"Ohhhh! Can you believe him? He's still such a major prick in the mud! Why did Toki invite him here anyway if he's just going to sit there, make rude remarks, and just be an annoying baka!" Usagi hissed as she placed all the ingredients that her small hands could carry on to the counter top next to Motoki's stove, grabbing for the green onions and a small chopping knife to start chopping them on the nearby wooden cutting board.

"The noodles are ready to be drained and set aside for now for your dish, my chicken curry's still steaming happily away in the casserole dish. Eh, you mean he's still a stick in the mud Usagi? Maybe you've been spending too much time with Minako at her apartment whenever you visit her. You're starting to start jumbling sayings like her. Don't let Mamoru and his sour puss mood bother you because you are going to blow his taste buds and ego away when he tries your dish," Makoto tried pep-talking the blonde as she nodded, chopping long green onions away to set aside in a small bowl for later use as she turned to the sizzling onions and garlic, tossing in some red pepper flakes.

"Arigato Makoto-Chan, thanks for the support and confidence booster. I'm going to make Mamoru-Baka eat his words with this dish, and he'll eat them ten times more after I get a passing grade for this dish again when I turn it in for the recipe assignment to cook it as an in class exam. Then he'll finally admit that he was wrong for once! Then maybe he'd consider starting over with actually getting on a better footing with me. I want to impress him with this!Can you drain the noodles for me please Makoto. I need to work on the sauce", Usagi breathed, then motioned to the smaller pot on the stove as she stirred in soy sauce and ginger paste folding it into the onions and garlic mixture quickly.

"On it, let's quickly shake these from the pot into the colander fast before I bring it back. Okay, ready for me to dump in the noodles for you to mix it all together?" Makoto asked, holding the colander over the plug in grill as Usagi nodded and she tilted the bowl as cooked soba noodles fell on the grill and Usagi's hands holding two black plastic spatulas made work folding the noodles into the mixture.

"What do you think Makoto? Think this will impress him?" she asked, looking for moral support. Usagi always had felt out of all of her best friends, Makoto was the best who knew her and her actual feelings she held the for baka, who was just outside of the kitchen.

"This is going to do the trick Usagi. We all know by now how you really feel about him, why else would you want to work so hard on perfecting your dish out for today? My Mom always told me growing up, to get to a man's heart easily, is by getting to his stomach with food. Mamoru's going to be blown away by you and this food. If he doesn't start getting on his knees to crawl to you, and confess his secret undying love for you...well, I'll pull a Hannibal Lecture on him and serve him to the girls." Makoto smirked mischievously with a glint in her eyes.

"You're the best Makoto! This is why I love you besides all of your lovely cooking. Hey. Am I mixing this right?" Usagi wondered, hands still folding everything together with the spatula.

"Hai, you seem to be mixing them into the pile correctly Usagi. See? Practicing all those sessions of cooking on the pancake griddle at my apartment over time paid off. You're doing everything just fine. Okay, I'll fry up a couple eggs on the stove while my rice for the curry keeps finishing fast in portable rice cooker on the other counter next to the sink. Did you try making this before at your house for your family yet?" Makoto asked as she went to the fridge.

Taking out a small carton of eggs and an opened box of something in plastic wrap, putting them on available counter space. Makoto counted out four eggs and tossed the condiments of the box onto the cutting board Usagi was using earlier to chop up the creamy-white looking sponge like content up.

"Hai, well I didn't put any pepper flakes in it since I wasn't sure if Papa or Shingo could handle the heat. Mama just told me to use some pepper and a little bit of sugar and honey to make it a sweet sauce with the soy for just that night. Plus we had added leftover bits of baked chicken and mushrooms to use up leftovers from the night before Mama made. Papa seemed to enjoy it, he kept going back for seconds and thirds in his bowl with the fish and rice we had. Shingo didn't say a word, just kept eating it." Usagi nodded, adding a bit of seasoning and extra green onions to the mixture before she noticed what Makoto was doing.

"What's that you cut up?" she asked while Makoto handed the cutting board with the white square chunks to her.

"Oh, leftover spicy tofu. It smells fine, and doesn't look old. Found it in Toki's fridge on the door next to the eggs. There's not much left of it. I figured it could give the soba more flavor." Makoto explained. Usagi bit her lip slowly considering the idea, as her eyes looked to approve as a smile grew on her face.

"Sounds good, throw it in! Did you see any leftover take out boxes of Chinese or fast food vegetables in Toki's fridge?" Usagi asked as the tofu cubes flew into the soba noodles on the griddle.

"No. But I did see some cilantro, a single lime, then just the tofu and a small jar of tomato paste..." Makoto mentioned as she with Usagi started to grin.

"We might as well help Toki clear out any orphan food scraps and leftovers wasting away in that fridge of his...always do whatever you can to not let food waste away as Mama always says", Usagi grinned back as she moved to the fridge to start grabbing at the orphan containers.

"Too bad Reika isn't here to join us, I wonder if she's enjoying living abroad in England. It's got to be hard for Motoki and her to do the whole long distance relationship still for the ten years she's there majoring in entomology archaeology and entomology studies." Makoto mused as Usagi nodded passing her tomato paste, and she after taking it, spooned some paste into the concoction on the grill.

"Yeah, but Motoki said that he understood it's what she wanted to do. He said she loves doing her graduate work and working alongside her professor and the other work students in the program who went to Azabu Technical College with her. They email another and talk on the phone whenever Reika can call long distance and he can accept the charges. He told me and Ami-Chan for his birthday once Reika sent him a goodie package of some English sweets, a little Uniform Military Red Coat wearing teddy bear holding the Union Jack Flag, and some small metal boxes with three different kinds of English Tea. He in return sent her some of her favorite snacks, candies, candles from her favorite shops, and his parents added some gifts for her too. I just know they'll be fine once she comes back to visit for holidays, and the time she finishes studies up will go by quick for them." Usagi mused with a smile.

"Hopefully the time goes faster for them. You know, Reika really is good for him. Glad we got over our silly crushes on Motoki we used to have on him when we were in junior high. You really believe that? Only you can see the possible positive and good outcomes for others Usagi." Makoto grinned shaking her head as Usagi hummed a yes, focused on the grilled food on the grill griddle before them.

"It's ready for the eggs to be over easy cooked over easy once I remove this delicious mess from the griddle. Can you pass me the serving plate? The large oval sized one that's ceramic," Usagi asked as she made room on the griddle and started to take the first of the eggs to start cracking.

* * *

"Motoki-kun, Mamoru-Baka, lunch is ready! Come and get it!" Usagi's voice hollered into the living room area, Motoki motioned for Mamoru to the small dining area in his apartment, as he got up from the couch.

"Coming! Mamoru...please, for the love of Kami and our friendship as best friends, please be polite to Usagi and just sit there and eat the meal she's prepared and not just purposely pile Makoto's curry dish on to your plate." Motoki whispered giving Mamoru a pleading look.

"What if I just really felt like only eating chicken curr-fine! Fine! I promise I'll at least try one percent of a spoonful of the Odango's dish...happy? Do you really have that oh little faith in my word and our friendship since our days of boyhood?" Mamoru questioned.

"Yes, I do when it comes to you're Achilles heel of always wanting to either prove Usagi wrong or make her angry or turn her face volcanic red. Just be nice and eat whatever they serve us. If you don't, I'll personally cut off your free access to your precious plain black coffee and plain simple iced coffees at the cafe. I'll even make sure that Unazuki knows when she works her waitress shifts and charges you for every hot or cold cup of joe." Motoki drawled with a hard yet mischievous glint in his green eyes as Mamoru's face fell into horror and disbelief.

"You wouldn't dare. I'm your best friend, practically your unofficial-adoptive brother in sorts, and your most dedicated customer who's been loyal to ever drinking your family's business's coffee for years since I had my first cup of caffeine when I was fifteen! You wouldn't dare cut me off or even sink that low to make Unazuki apart of your threats," Mamoru hissed, daring to call Motoki's bluff.

"I wouldn't? Do you really want to try me Mamoru? I'll start making the phone call to not only my sister but also my parents and to Usagi's friend Naru who just started working for Crown Cafe part time on the weekends to help her save up ahead of time for college. I've got my baby sister and parents on speed dial. Would you like me to ask Usagi for her very best friend's number? I'm sure my number one ice cream sundae and milkshake customer has Naru's cellphone number and her house phone number on speed dial too." Motoki whispered back with an extremely calm response daring to counter the ebony haired man's stubborn bluff.

"...I hate you and your traitorous scheming blackmailing ways Motoki. I swear if she gets me food poisoning again and I end up in the ER again, it's on you."

"Shut up and sit down now", the sandy haired blonde hissed at him as the girls came back into the dinning area in the corner of the living room side near the open kitchen, carrying the dishes holding lunch.

"Here we go, one dish of completed easy Indian Chicken Curry. Sorry it's not the usual Japanese Chicken Curry or your favorite Hayashi Rice stew you usually have on a weekend with Reika or I usually just make for our group get together's or picnics Toki. I wanted to try making something new curry wise, a classmate of ours Aika's Dad works at an Indian Curry takeaway and she's always bringing leftovers for lunch period. Smelling it so many times during lunch time we've hung out with her besides Ami and Rei got me tempted to try making it myself. So here is my take on an Indian Spicy Curry with some Coconut Milk and some little bits of barbecue chicken I had in my freezer," Makoto explained as she placed the casserole dish on to the dinning table, before going back into the kitchen to get plates and silverware to pass around.

"No complaints here Makoto, it looks good. Smells good too. The side of plain rice looks good too, what's in it? Parlsely?" Motoki asked, noticing little green bits in the rice in the steamed rice as Makoto placed it on to the table as well.

"It's mint leaves she added. Here's my dish, may I present my Sesame-Garlic Soba Noodles with Fried Eggs, Tofu, and other delicious goodies ala 'everything but the kitchen-sink' style!" Usagi grinned as she placed the oval-shaped ceramic dish on to the table, opening the lid of it up as steam hissed out in light mist and the scents exploded across the table to the men seated before it.

"This smells delicious, like soba noodle heaven and not like those instant noodle add boiling water packets do. It looks good, I'm willing to go first for Usagi's dish Makoto. Plate me up for both please." Motoki asked with politeness in his eager voice, handing his plate over to the brunette as she eagerly took the plate and started to spoon first the soba noodle dish, and then the curry and rice from the separate dishes.

"Alright, alright. There you go Motoki-kun, eat up only after we say a prayer of thanks though. Hey, give me your plate Mamoru. I'll serve you a little bit of both our dishes equally with a medium amount of rice so you can taste Usagi's and my dishes equally." Makoto smiled, taking Mamoru's plate to serve him while Usagi served two plates for herself of both of their dishes, sitting down next to Makoto across from the men.

"Thanks Makoto, your curry looks good. Different but smells nice...Odango's looks...interesting...is it supposed to look like slightly greasy chowmein meets cheap ramen and covered in vegetable and tofu chaos?" Mamoru asked, poking his chopsticks around in the mess that to him looked like help-hazardous chaos that Usagi called 'soba noodle heaven'.

"If you're asking if it's editable, I assure you that it is perfectly editable and yes, it's suppose to look like that when it's been cooked with some vegetables, tofu, various seasonings of my choice, and good quality chicken, and a few things I added for flavor baka. The taste of a dish is more important than how it looks visually according to Mrs. Ryo and my Mama both told Makoto and I," Usagi drawled giving him an annoyed look as they all closed their hands, bowed their heads, to chant a quick 'Itadakimasu', and started to dig into their lunch.

"Alright, here we go. Mmm! Usagi-chan, this soba with the chicken and sesame-garlic sauce is delicious! I swear I'm not kidding around, it's good. What is in this sauce? I can taste the garlic and ginger paste definitely, but what else is in it?" Motoki moaned after he had taken a slurp of a couple soba noodles and a bite of the egg mixed in with Makoto's steamed mint white rice.

'I can't believe Motoki's willing to commit stomach and taste buds suicide blindly eating the Odango's garbage looking noodles', Mamoru thought to himself as he looked on in disbelief and utter shock at how Motoki kept slurping down the soba noodles while Makoto was joining in he slurping and the dumpling haired blonde was blushing pink.

"Arigato Toki-kun, I'm glad you're enjoying it. I changed it up clearly a bit from when I had made it before for my family obviously with some of the edibles in your fridge. What do you think of Makoto's curry? Makoto, like the soba noodles?" Usagi asked as she tucked into her plate without hesitating and letting her chopsticks fly in infused curry chicken, rice, and soba.

"I greatly approve of the soba delicious-ness of success! Wouldn't this be great in the Crown Cafe's menu Motoki? You could totally have it as a special of the day or blue plate special served only one day on the weekends or weekday as a specialty or on the secret menus." Makoto grinned, suggesting between her slurping of the noodles.

"Maybe. I'll ask my Father if he'd be interested putting both of your dishes on the secret menu for customers if you girls would be willing to give us the recipes. Just leave the leftovers here with me and I'll take some tomorrow over to my parents house for them both to taste. I'll let you know if my Father approves. Heck, I'll even give some to Unazuki to try when she comes into work tomorrow morning for her lunch break." Motoki grinned.

"It's a deal! You in Usagi?" Makoto asked, looking to her left excitedly.

"Deal! If you or your Father need me to alter the recipe a bit in case for picky eating customers please let me know. Makoto, your curry is good. Not too hot spicy or sweet, it tastes just right spot on." Usagi said between mouthfuls eating.

"Happy to hear it. Mamoru...you seem to be enjoying Makoto's curry seeing how it's empty on that side of your plate...aren't you going to try Usagi's soba noodles before going for seconds on Makoto's dish?" Motoki questioned, causing Usagi and Makoto to both look up from eating their plates.

Mamoru sat there, pausing from spooning some more of the Indian Chicken Curry out of the casserole dish onto his plate. The only thing that had been on his plate still was the small portioned amount of grilled soba noodles in it's sesame seed sauce with tofu and different veggies in it's mixture. It hadn't been touched, not one bit by Mamoru's chopsticks...or his mouth. His dark blue eyes glanced around in silence at the other three across the squared small dinning room table. Makoto stared at him with a calm yet questioning look, of why he hadn't been willing to give her best friend's dish a try when he clearly had enjoyed tucking into her dish so easily without hesitation. Usagi's face only held a look that simply read emotions of not seeming to be surprised with some slight annoyance, but the blond continued to eat with a 'hum' and silence. Motoki however, had a look of more annoyance and some aggravation in his eyes as Mamoru looked at him...it simply said, 'Eat it. Now or else!' Mamoru began to feel the tension and sighed as he looked to his plate of the uneaten noodles on it.

'I might as well get this over with or Motoki will go through with his threats. Stomach, it was nice knowing you.' Mamoru thought grimly as his chopsticks picked up a little bit of the soba noodles and eggs tofu mixture, carefully and slowly bringing it to his mouth, with his eyes closed.

Ever so slowly, Mamoru took a deep breath, and opened his mouth. Letting the taste buds on his tongue to taste it, taste it all..to take in the flavors and texture of the Sesame-Garlic Soba Noodles with Tofu and Fried Egg...he slowly chewed it, eyes still closed, and then swallowed it with a gulp.

'...It's...it's...' he thought to himself in silence...feeling shocked that he was at a lose for words after having swallowed the concoction in his mouth down.

"Mamoru, how is it?" Motoki asked grinning as Mamoru's eyes opened, looking at him.

"Yes, do you like Usagi's soba. I bet you never imagined it would be like heaven eh? Tell us what you think." Makoto inquired excitedly looking thrilled at him.

"What's wrong baka, soba caught your tongue? Do my eyes deceive me or are you actually for once without words? Oh my...He does like it! Oh my god, you loved my cooking! I knew you would! Thank Kami and all that is food holy. Toki! Makoto! He likes it! Mamoru Chiba likes my cooking!" Usagi sat there grinning happily as she clapped her hangs in delight, and looked like she had just won the Juuban Lottery and started to laugh, while Mamoru's eyes blinked for a few minutes as he took a drink of his glass of water by his plate, and cleared his throat loudly.

"You like it! Ha! You liked it. Time to admit it baka, let's hear those sweet compliments of 'Odango, I am so sorry I had ever doubted you and your actual skills of cooking. Please let me buy you the biggest milk shake and super duper chocolate fudge sundae in the world and worship kissing your feet forever. Finally! I have done something to get you to say something positively nice about me!" Usagi couldn't help but laugh and gloat just a little as Motoki and Makoto snickered-amused by her antics feeling she deserved to cheer a bit.

"Excuse me?" he drawled, looking suddenly red in his face annoyingly, eyes fixed on to the blonde one across from him who was smiling gleefully full of rays of sunshine.

"I said you liked it. You have to like it after reacting like that. Come on baka, tell me what you think of it. How did it taste? Do you like my soba noodles?" Usagi asked, looking eagerly to know what he thought.

"What do I think? You really want to know Odango?" Mamoru questioned, very calmly. A little too calmly as his best friend and the Odango one's best friend looked up, both suddenly quiet with worry and nervousness.

"Yes Mamoru, I do want to know what you really think. Does it taste good to you? I'd like an honest opinion, because if you like it then I know it's good enough to be served in Motoki's family's cafe restaurant and good enough to be my final project's recipe for home ec cooking class. I can take a compliment and constructive criticism fairly. Just tell me what you think baka. What do you honestly think of it? I bet it was better than anything else you've eaten take out wise or could even cook," Usagi replied, eyes of baby blue looking at him, as her voice had ended in an unaware tone of sarcasm that she didn't notice but Mamoru had...and didn't look happy at the blonde's off handed comment.

"Really? Is that so? You think that your noodles would be good enough alongside Makoto's curry to be in Motoki's family's restaurant? Well I'm sorry but they aren't. What I tasted, wasn't even close to being considered great as your friend's marksmanship cooking of perfection. What I tasted was worse than the slop I had to eat in the orphanage I was forced to eat and the garbage they severed in the cafeterias when I was in high school," Mamoru drawled without hesitation coldly as he continued on speaking as Usagi looked on in complete shock at his response.

"E-excuse me? You've got to be kidding me! You're so lying! My soba noodles are fine and taste good and you know it!" Usagi exclaimed feeling insulted as she stood up from the table, face blushing a tinted pink to red.

"You heard me. I've had better soba! It's not that great. The noodles tasted the same in the over powered ginger and garlic like it was served in a bad letter grade noodle shop. I've had better takeaway noodles and instant noodled ramen than what you served. My taste buds are covered in too much over powered garlic and tofu!" Mamoru yelled right back at her, giving her a disgusted look as he pushed the plate away from his side of the table as she moved immediately towards in while their friends looked on in shock.

"Really? You probably wouldn't know how to enjoy using your taste buds for eating if you actually gave them a chance Chiba. Makoto and Motoki both tried it and said it tasted fine and I've eaten, tasted, and taste-tested lots of soba noodles in my time and let me tell you buster, my soba noodles were perfectly fine!" she hissed, poking him in his chest as he stood up from his seat giving her an annoyed glared as she kept poking him.

"Don't poke the bear unless you want to dance with it Odango. I think you've been sheltered too much blindly by your friends and even your parents praising of your 'cooking skills' too much to know you're bad," Mamoru warned her as she just shook her head.

"Don't tell me what to do baka, and don't even try me...excuse me? What's that suppose to mean?" Usagi asked questionably as she eyed him, as he looked at her like he wanted to push her buttons more.

"Kami, I feel like I am literally talking to a self-entitled little brat of a child that's worse more than one of those annoying fan girls of the 'Omg! Marry Me Chiba Fan Girl Club' of potential girl stalkers I've had since back when I attended Azabu, than talking to a dumb blonde odango atama like you Usagi! You are a complete and utter hopeless loser who can't even cook a simple dish much less anything worthy of being considered a five star meal like one of your best friends, Kino sitting here could! You want to know why Usagi?! Because Makoto's actually a cook who's on the path to become a chef or pastry chef who knows what she's doing because she can cook! Everyone who's giving you praise for suddenly becoming this 'oh so wonderful talent who's discovered such a gift in cooking abilities because she finally was able to follow directions from her Mommy and Best Friend', suddenly everyone thinks that giving you over the top praise nonstop is a positive thing. Wrong!", Mamoru began screaming un-apologetically, without hesitation at the teenage dumpling haired blonde sitting across from him at the table.

If Usagi thought Mamoru was finished, she would be proven wrong because Mamoru Chiba was just getting started as he continued on, as his anger at having been poked like the bear, was fueled in full on rage.

"Everyone's encouraging you with false hope because they feel sorry for you and don't want to hurt your feelings or else you'd just explode in tear bombs! I still don't even know how you will make it in the real world the second you graduate high school, at least all of your friends like Kino, Hino, Mizuno, and Aino – Yes! Even the bubbly Aino all know what they want to do with their lives! You Odango still after becoming a senior in high school don't even have the slightest clue to what you'll do in life with how carelessly, wandering wall flower ditsy you are with wandering in life without any idea of to how to become an adult much less or any potential goals towards college or a realistic career! As for your amazing meal ever being served in Motoki's family's restaurant is a joke, much less you passing your cooking class exam by turning in your "oh so perfect soba noodles" recipe. I've had better meals, at least takeout dishes even if they are cheap or greasy taste better than the slop garbage plate you served me." Mamoru finished spatting out harshly, feeling that he had said the right thing, feeling that the teenage girl before him needed to be told the truth of a harsh reality check before she developed a false delusional ego.

Then before Mamoru could say anything else...he didn't see it coming as he heard the sound of something rushing towards him. There was a loud noise, followed by a held back sob. Mamoru then felt an intense pain across his right cheek as he found himself holding the side of his face, looking at Usagi's face away from staring at the kitchen. He couldn't believe it. Usagi Tsukino. The Odango had slapped him, hard across his face without hesitating for a minute. She had slapped him! He watched as she suddenly eyed him with a look he had never seen in her eyes before. Usagi's eyes held both misery and seething anger aimed directly at him, along with the tears in those eyes that wouldn't stop flowing from the now messy mascara and eyeliner on her face, before she stormed out of the dining room, going into the kitchen.

Usagi didn't utter a word as she returned, holding her pink bunny backpack purse and apron, making a hurried dash through the apartment, not saying a word to anyone, brushing coldly past Mamoru, before the only thing that he could hear that made him wince was the loud sound of Motoki's front door being jerked opened and then loudly slammed hard.

"As much as I would love to just punch you in your rude self-centered, male ego fueled baka face Mamoru, because you deserve it, but Usagi beat me to it. I'm glad she slapped you. Motoki, thanks for having Usagi and I over to host lunch, but I need to check on Usagi. Can you clean up fine on your own?" Maokto asked Motoki as he just nodded a simple yes in her direction.

"Don't worry about it. Tell her I'm sorry that lunch was unexpectedly ruined by my idiot best friend. I'll make it up to her next time she comes into the arcade with some extra tokens and a banana split infused double fudged sundae", Motoki murmured with promise in his voice, as Makoto nodded to him as she collected her apron and her own purse.

"Thank you Toki, see you later. I'll call you tonight to let you know how she's doing...hopefully I won't have to call in the 'reinforcements', especially Rei-chan or Haruka-kun." Makoto drawled with an icy tone as she gave Mamoru one hell of a hard stare for a minute, before giving a kinder look of goodbye to Motoki and leaving his apartment.

* * *

 **Ending Author's Notes:**

Chapter One is finished! Whew! Done! What did everyone think? Shocking and surprising how I had decided to end this chapter eh? Well, wait until you see what's enstored for everyone, especially Mamoru-Baka in the next chapter. Chapter Two will be coming out in a couple weeks; depending on how my writing muses and art classes via assignments and schedules go. Until next time, keep reading, and fill free to message me directly here on ff.n if you have any questions.


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